Obama calls for new auto fuel standards

President Obama signed a memorandum today that called for mileage and emissions standards for big rigs and work trucks to limit pollution from large vehicles.

This signals a nudge toward more auto fuel standards in the future, the AP said. It also allows automakers to start working on new models for 2016 and beyond.

“The disaster in the Gulf only underscores that even as we pursue domestic production to reduce our reliance on imported oil, our long-term security depends on the development of alternative sources of fuel and new transportation technologies,” the president said.

“I believe that it’s possible in the next 20 years for vehicles to use half the fuel and produce half the pollution that they do today.”

The memorandum signed today also calls for the development of new technologies to promote plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles and the use of other fuels such as biofuels and natural gas.

The Union of Concerned Scientists, an environmental advocacy group, said large trucks represent only 4 percent of all vehicles on U.S. highways but consume more than 20 percent of on-road transportation fuels. Obama wants standards developed for these vehicles beginning in the 2014 model year, and lasting through 2018.

Government agencies were also ordered to extend work to come up with stronger auto fuels rules for model cars and light trucks in 2017 and beyond, the AP said. Last month, Obama called for new standards for 2012-2016 cars and light trucks.

Automakers like the certainty of standards years into the future, because it allows them to make changes on future models.

For the auto industry, uniform national standards are preferable to a state-by-state approach that has been a threat ever since California started pushing years ago to be allowed more stringent standards than the federal government imposes.

Here’s a video of Obama’s speech on fuel standards (courtesy of Politico):